


Flicker Fate

by ivarara



Series: Hawk n Hum [16]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: more friends!!! more friends!!!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 15:22:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21163826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivarara/pseuds/ivarara
Summary: Hum and Hawk come across a new face in the Resting Grounds.





	Flicker Fate

**Author's Note:**

> flicker belongs to @modpix-blog!!

The Resting Grounds are a peaceful, serene place. Hawk enjoys sitting in the glade with the spirits, whispering softly to them and listening to their stories. It’s calming, knowing that nobody would dare pose a threat in a place this sacred and holy. Even the Last Stag mellows down at the station there, speaking in hushed tones instead of his typical booming voice.

In this place, Hum typically naps, propped up against Hawk safely. Hum is so eager to see the world and what it offers that they rarely fall asleep voluntarily; rather, they literally run themself ragged until they’re essentially sleeping on their feet.

So yes, Hawk does prefer this place above others. Not as much as the Abyss with all their Siblings, but a close second. Isolated, quiet, and safe: three things Hawk preferred.

Not today.

As they enter from the Forgotten Crossroads, a silhouette stands out in the foggy atmosphere. The body shape is familiar, but the individual is not.

Hum sees the wings and fluffy antennae, and immediately jumps to conclusions. _‘Cadence!’_ they bounce excitedly. _‘Friend Cadence!’_

Hawk is more wary. Cadence wouldn’t be out here. Cadence wanted to forget her past and her tribe. She wanted a new life where she wasn’t seen as an ominous, powerful, realm-dancing being. She stayed in Dirtmouth with Pik, for the most part. She wouldn’t be here.

This shape isn’t Cadence. It’s too small, too short to be her.

Hum goes to skitter up to greet them, but Hawk snatches the tattered end of their scarf and holds them back. When given a curious look, Hawk subtly tells Hum,_ ‘Careful. Do not know them.’_

_ ‘Cadence!’_ Hum signs again, pointing.

Hawk shakes their head._ ‘Too little. Not Cadence. Different moth.’_

Hum pauses and considers the information. _‘Friend?’_

Hawk shrugs.

At a calmer pace, Hum approaches, almost warily. Wariness is a trait that does not suit Hum, Hawk decides. Hum is usually so excitable and eager; seeing them wary feels...off.

Hum stops a short distance away from the figure, though they seem to be lost in thought. Tentatively, Hum waves once, before pausing and waiting for a response. 

The little figure remains still for a moment, as if pondering their movements, before turning to Hum. Their antenna swish at the movement, their wings flapping against their back.

“Hello,” a tiny, quiet voice sounds off, warily. They hold their arms to their chest defensively, seeming to not notice they’re doing so.

Hum perks and waves again.

“You’re...a vessel?” the little voice continues.

Hum nods happily. Hawk steps closer to their sibling. Close enough to remind the newcomer that they’re there, but not too close.

“Two vessels?” the little moth eeks. “You’re...not hollow?”

Hawk bristles but doesn’t react. Hum answers on their behalf, nodding and patting their mask.

“Impure? Unhollow?”

Obliviously, Hum nods happily again.

“Hm.” The little moth thinks things over a moment. “I’m Flicker.”

Hum bounces excitedly at learning a new name.

“W...what’s yours?” Flicker asks tentatively.

Hum fumbles for a moment, the lack of speaking once again proving to be an issue. They stoop over and draw out their name in the gravel carefully, then point proudly.

“‘Hum’?”

Hum claps.

“Cute name. I like it,” Flicker mumbles warmly. “Who are they?” The little moth points to Hawk.

Hum draws out Hawk’s name next to theirs in the dirt.

“‘Hawk’.” Flicker pauses, thinking. “It sounds...harsh.”

Hum shakes their head. Hawk shrugs.

“W...what are you two doing here?” Flicker asks after a moment, feebly.

Hum mimics laying down and resting serenely to illustrate.

“Resting?” 

Nod.

“Ah. It is a nice place to be, if I may say so myself.” Flicker puffs up proudly. “I come here all the time.”

Hawk is curious now. Flicker doesn’t seem to be posing a threat; may as well get to know them.

‘Dream?’ Hawk signs, tapping the side of their head.

“Can I go to the dream realm?” Flicker stutters.

Hawk nods.

Yes, I can, Flicker answers from within Hawk’s head. Hawk recoils physically, reeling back at the voice sounding from inside.

“Oh! I’m sorry,” Flicker sounds sincere. “I-I didn’t mean…”

Hawk shakes their head irritably, but Hum intervenes, shooing Hawk off with a wave of a hand. Hawk refuses to back away, hovering behind Hum menacingly, but Hum reassures Flicker with a disdainful shrug towards their sibling to draw in the dirt more.

Flicker watches closely as Hum draws. “Is that...Dirtmouth?”

Hum nods, poking the little drawing. Next, they draw a figure.

“A moth?”

Hum nods again. Adjacent to the picture they spell out a name: C-A-D-E-N-C-E.

“You know them, then?”

Hum nods gleefully.

“You...don’t _hate _us?”

Hum fumbles in their movements. They cock their head to the side questioningly.

“Moths...and the Radiance...that’s what you were born to fight, right?”

Hum shrugs. Hawk nods sternly.

“But you, Hum, you’re not...mad at me? Because I’m a moth?”

Hum shakes their head.

“Oh.” Flicker pauses. “Thank you, then. It’s nice to have someone like me.”

Hum claps happily, ushering Flicker to draw their own story in the dirt.

Hawk stands guard warily, watching as the two little ones giggle and draw and spell, but does not intervene. They trust Hum to back out if something happens. Flicker gives off the same uneasy feeling as nearing the Black Egg Temple did, but they don’t seem to be outwardly intentful to harm.

So, Hawk will trust them.


End file.
